Encounter
by On a Mission to Save the World
Summary: Tory Brennan just moved to Charleston after her mom's fatal car crash to live with her newly discovered dad, Kit Howard. On top of the loss of her mom and the awkwardness with her dad, Tory learns that her mom's car was vandalized. With the help of some boys she met, she is determined to learn the truth behind her mom's "accident." Will they be clever enough to catch the culprit?
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

The smell of freshly baked pizza wafted through the car. It was mouthwatering.

Colleen Brennan was tempted over and over again to take a slice from the pizza box in the passenger seat next to her. Just a small one. Surely it wouldn't be missed.

But then she remembered Tory, waiting for her at home. She must be starving.

Colleen sighed and glanced to her right at the clock above the car stereo. It read 6:04. She promised her daughter that she'd be home with dinner before 6:30 today.

Tory wouldn't be happy if she was late again.

Pushing harder on the gas pedal, she accelerated a little. The car lurched forward more than Colleen expected. Her eyes widened a fraction. She wasn't sure how to react.

Nothing like this had ever happened before.

Gripping the steering wheel tighter, Colleen frantically tried to regain control of the car. She stomped down on the brakes like her life depended on it, which it probably did. But the car didn't even slow down.

Much to her horror, it sped up.

Last time she checked, the car was working just fine. For an old car, anyway. Colleen couldn't afford to buy a new car with the little money she earned from waiting tables. So she settled for a used white Corolla.

It was still in relatively good condition when she bought it. There weren't any scratches on the side. The windows and doors were still intact. The interior was free of old stains and tears. Not to mention that she got it for much cheaper than it originally cost.

All in all, it seemed like a pretty good deal to Colleen. At the time.

The car staggered again, throwing Colleen forward much harder than before. Her head narrowly missed a rough hit to the steering wheel.

_Where are the stupid airbags? Shouldn't they have been activated by now?_

Colleen didn't know anything about how a car functioned. But she did suspect that airbags would come in handy at a time like this.

She just had to figure out how to activate them.

Glancing around for help, she realized with a sinking feeling that the street she was on was completely deserted. No one would be able to help her now.

If only she hadn't taken the shortcut home. At least if she crashed while going on the long way, someone would see her and go for help. Here, there was no one around but her.

Colleen swerved around a row of road signs. The tires screeched loudly as she did. It hurt her ears. She hoped someone would hear the sound and call for help. She wasn't sure how much longer she could hold on.

Suddenly, a small dot appeared in the distance. It was on the same road, gradually heading towards her. She sighed in relief. They'd dial for help. She'd be rescued in no time. She just had to hold on for a little longer.

Again, Colleen tried the brakes. The car only accelerated, almost running over a nearby tree in the way.

Something was seriously wrong with her car.

The small dot eventually got near enough for Colleen to distinguish it as a bright red BMW, but she couldn't make out the driver's appearance very well through the car window. Her car was still moving too fast for that.

Then the steering wheel chose that moment to stop working.

Dizziness threatened to overwhelm her as the car began moving in wide circles on its own. It spun and spun and spun until Colleen felt like vomiting all over the car floor.

Everything around her became a big blur of colors as she continued to whirl uncontrollably. She caught a glimpse of a flashing traffic light. Nothing else was clear. She couldn't even see the red BMW anymore.

Colleen closed her eyes and tried to control her erratic breathing, feeling lost and beyond hopeless. For a brief moment, she thought of Tory, expecting her to come home any minute now with dinner ready to be served.

_If I die here, she'll probably never get to meet Kit. Her own dad._

Then there was a sudden flash of red. Colleen realized a second too late that it was the same shade of red as the BMW. The car that she thought would help her.

A loud crash followed. Then came the blackness.

* * *

**Hello sci-philes! Like the nickname? ****Anyways, this is my first FanFiction story for _Virals_. I have one other for _Gallagher Girls_ that I'm currently working on that's called _Don't Judge a Girl by Her Past Cover_. I'm going to have to split my time between those two stories so please bear with me! I will do my best to update quickly!**

**I hope you like this prologue. I've been wanting to make a prequel to _Virals_ for a while. So here it is! But with my own twist. In this story, Colleen Brennan's death wasn't so accidental...**

**Please review if you think I should continue!**

**-Sky**


	2. Chapter 1

**PART ONE: - DEVASTATION**

* * *

**Chapter 1**

Mom should've been home an hour and a half ago with dinner. All she had to do was stop by the local Pizza Hut and pick up a supreme pizza for the two of us.

Yet here I was, reading from a thick library book on my bed about the lifestyles of different dogs. Lying on my stomach. Legs sprawled out behind me as my eyes absorbed the information in front of me.

No sign of Mom anywhere in the house. Yet.

Confession. I have a wild fascination for dogs. They're the coolest animals in the world. And most dogs seem to like me back, too.

I've been trying to convince Mom to buy me a pet dog ever since I met my first puppy. Over the years, I've compiled lists and charts to help my cause. So far, I've been unsuccessful. Mom can be as stubborn as an ox when she wants to be, which I probably get from her. But I'm working on it. I _will_ get my own dog someday.

When finishing up the chapter about canine diseases, it suddenly occurred to me how late it was.

I stopped in the middle of a sentence referring to a rare case of canine parvovirus and checked the clock on my bedroom wall. It read 7:56.

Mom was late sometimes. But never _this_ late.

I quickly shut the library book I was reading. It resounded with a satisfying thud. Then I scrambled off my bed and out the door.

There was no reason for me to panic yet. But some instinct told me that something wasn't right. And I trusted my instincts.

When I reached the kitchen, I immediately made a grab for the landline on the counter.

Mom couldn't afford to buy us our own cell phones. The main source of income she received was from tips as a waitress at a small diner. Not exactly a very well-paying job.

On the bright side, customers‒specifically guys‒often gave her generous tips. And sometimes phone numbers. There's no denying that Mom was gorgeous after all. But all the money she gets paid was still barely enough to keep us sustained. So we just shared a phone.

I never really minded the sharing part.

Until now.

Unsure what else to do, I dialed the nearest Pizza Hut as fast as I could and waited impatiently for an employee to pick up.

After two rings, an overly cheerful voice finally answered, "Hello! Welcome to Pizza Hut! My name's Wendy. How may I help you?"

From the eager way she spoke through the phone, it was clear that Wendy had a half-glass-full kind of attitude.

"Hi. Um, I was just wondering. Have you seen a woman in her early thirties stop by to pick up an order of supreme pizza within the last couple of hours?" I asked, trying to keep the worry out of my voice. And probably failing.

"You're going to have to do a better job of describing her, honey. I've seen _lots_ of middle-aged women come to pick up a pizza in the past six hours," Wendy said in what must've been her most enthusiastic voice ever.

Right. I should've known. "Well, she has long red hair. And green eyes."

I probably could've stopped at "red hair" since not many people are gifted with red hair, but the description didn't sound complete without a mention of her green eyes. Both were traits I inherited from Mom besides my stubbornness.

A beat, then Wendy's already high-pitched voice rose impossibly higher. "I believe I saw her leave with a box of pizza about an hour ago in a silver Corolla. Or was it white? My memory's a bit shaky at the moment."

A box of pizza. An hour ago. A white Corolla. It all fit the bill.

"That's all right," I hurriedly said. "Just, if she returns, tell her that Tory Brennan is wondering where she is. And if she's okay."

"Will do. You have a wonderful evening, honey!" Then Wendy hung up, leaving me gripping the phone much tighter than necessary.

I suppressed a pang of irritation. Wendy was helpful, but not very much. I still had no idea where Mom was. Only that she had left Pizza Hut with a box of pizza in her old Corolla an hour earlier. Confirmation of what I already suspected.

I placed the landline down and took a seat at the kitchen table. It was barely big enough to hold two people, but Mom and I always made it work.

A sigh escaped my lips. I really wished Mom was there. Then the two of us could sit together at the dinner table, share a pizza, make jokes, enjoy popcorn with a movie. The usual mother-daughter activities.

_If only Mom had a cell phone._

As soon as the thought reached my mind, the doorbell rang, breaking the uncomfortable silence. Anxiously, I ran to open it. My feet pounded lightly on the tile floor.

I hoped Mom was okay. I don't know what I'd do if something happened to her.

On my way to get the door, I zipped by a set of windows that gave a nice view of the freshly mowed lawn. Not really paying attention at first.

I almost did a double take when I saw a single police cruiser parked in front of my house. It was a completely unexpected sight. I had to press my face against the glass to make sure my eyes weren't deceiving me.

I continued to stare out the window for about a minute. Then I came to a conclusion.

It was definitely a police cruiser. Meaning that there were cops here to see me.

Anxiously, I swung the front door open to reveal two authoritative adults. One was a frail woman with short blonde curls and wisps of gray mixed in. Wrinkles dotted her pale face. She wore a silver nameplate with "Martha Kaiser" stamped on it.

The other was a man twice her size with a mop of brown hair and fair skin. He was obviously much younger than his co-worker. A silver nameplate with "Dean Patton" written on it was pinned to his shirt as well.

Much to my dismay, neither of them were Mom. Or someone I recognized.

They both had shiny police badges attached to their blue uniforms that stated "Westborough Police Department." An assortment of items, including handcuffs and weapons, was strapped to each of their belts. Grave expressions were plastered on their faces.

Something was up.

"Good evening, officers. Can I help you?" I greeted as I opened the door wider to allow them inside.

To say I was nervous to see the cops would be an understatement. Having the police show up at my doorstep an hour after I decided that Mom was AWOL couldn't be a good sign.

Then again, a visit from the police might have nothing to do with my mom at all. Maybe I'm worrying myself over nothing. An unlikely possibility.

"I hope so," Officer Kaiser said as she entered with Officer Patton on her heels. "Do you happen to be Victoria Brennan, daughter of Colleen Brennan?"

I nodded solemnly. "You can just call me Tory."

Kaiser turned her head toward Patton. "Well, Tory. We have some rather… tragic news to deliver," she said.

Instead of asking about the news right away, I blurted out, "Can it wait? My mom's on the way home from Pizza Hut right now. She'll be here any minute."

After the words left my lips, Kaiser bowed her head, refusing to meet my eyes. As if her shoes were suddenly very fascinating. Patton wouldn't look at me either.

_What did I say?_

Then Patton spoke his first words of the evening, "The news we need to deliver isn't for her. It's for you. _About_ her."

I stared at him. Arms crossed. "Whatever you need to tell me, you can tell her, too. When she gets here."

Patton shook his head sadly. "I'm sorry. I really can't, Tory. Your mother... she's been in an accident."

Uncrossing my arms, I asked, "Accident? What kind of accident?"

"A very serious one," Patton answered, taking in my reaction. "It was on a deserted road. Almost no one was around. And even if someone _was_ close by, they couldn't have done much to prevent the crash. Your mother's car was hit pretty badly."

I nodded thoughtfully. "Which hospital is she staying at? Am I allowed to see her?"

Patton hesitated, looking at Kaiser. "I'm afraid she's not in a hospital," Kaiser said, glancing up at me. "The impact of the car that crashed into her knocked her unconscious almost immediately. She… didn't survive. I'm so sorry."

I gaped at her. Not really comprehending the news. Then I turned my eyes on Patton. They both had identical looks of pity on their faces. For me.

_Because my mom just died in a car accident._

I shook my head furiously. But she couldn't have. Not in a car accident. Mom was one of the most cautious drivers I've ever known. Heck, there was no question about it. She was _the_ most cautious driver ever to walk the planet. And she'd _never_ get caught in a car accident.

_But she did. And she was._

A lump formed in my throat, cutting off the air rushing into my lungs. I couldn't breathe. Tears welled up in my eyes, threatening to spill.

"How?" I managed to choke out.

Shifting awkwardly from foot to foot, Kaiser said, "A very drunk mechanic named Alvie Turnbauer ran a red traffic light and smashed right into your mother's car as he was leaving the local Sully's Bar and Grill. He'd gulped down one too many bottles of Corona. As soon as police officers reached the scene of the accident, he was arrested for driving a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol."

I nodded as tears began trickling down my cheeks. I didn't try to hide them. What was the point?

The officers stared helplessly at me, unsure what to do. Kaiser looked like she wanted to pull me into a hug, but something held her back. I was grateful for that. I didn't think a hug would help. Unless it was from Mom.

But she was gone now. I'll never get another hug from her again.

Patton attempted a small grin, trying to hide his discomfort. It wasn't working. "There is some good news though."

I sniffed and wiped away the tears that managed to escape. I'd save them for later, when I was alone. "What is it?" I asked hoarsely. I cleared my throat.

Patton relaxed a little when all traces of tears left my cheeks, but there was still a tense set to his broad shoulders and jaw. "We went ahead and did a background search on you and your mother while we were down at the station." He smiled at me, for real this time. "Did you know that you have a father?"

I blinked disbelievingly. "I have a _father_? That's _alive_?"

I'd always assumed that my dad was dead. Mom never talked about him. I didn't push her for information. We went on with our lives as if he never existed.

I could tell that it was a sore topic for her. She tried to hide it every time it came up in a conversation, but I knew that thoughts of my dad hurt her. Deeply.

Maybe she wasn't over him yet. Maybe she didn't want to move on at all. I had no idea. But I always saw the winces and the flashes of pain in her eyes that she tried so hard to conceal when a word about him came up. She wasn't as great of an actress as she pretended to be. So I always let the subject drop when it was brought up.

And I always wondered.

But now I knew the truth. And I didn't know how to feel about it. Should I be relieved to find out? Excited? Upset? Confused?

Kaiser nodded as Patton elaborated, "Yes, you do. His name is Christopher Howard. He's a very well-respected man. Has a clean criminal record, too. He lives in Charleston, South Carolina on a small island known as Morris Island. It's nearly deserted there, but there are a few families that inhabit the island. Not just him."

Patton glanced down at a folded sheet of paper from his pocket. "He works as a marine biologist at a research facility on Loggerhead Island, another small island near the coast of South Carolina. I think Loggerhead Island is even smaller than Morris Island actually." He looked up at me from his paper. "But they're both very beautiful places. I think you'll enjoy it there."

My mind raced with the fresh onslaught of information.

_I have a marine biologist dad named Christopher Howard. He lives and works near the coast of Charleston, South Carolina. On small and beautiful islands._

_I'll enjoy it there._

A different feeling of dread suddenly overcame me. I froze in place, unable to move as one thought circled over and over again.

_I'm going to have to move._

I should've thought of the possibility the second I was told that Mom died. But I didn't. Not right away. I couldn't even grasp the fact that my mom was killed in a car accident. That she was alive less than two hours ago and now… now, she wasn't.

Patton looked at me oddly while my mind slowly processed. Then Kaiser whispered something frantically in his ear. Something I didn't catch.

Realization dawned on Patton's face. Patton hurriedly added, "We just needed a legal guardian to take care of you! That's all! We're not trying to kick you out of your home or anything like that."

Heaving a sigh of frustration, Kaiser began muttering incoherently under her breath. I couldn't make out anything she said, but I had a guess.

_They're afraid I'm going to cry again._

Enough of that. "I understand, Officer Patton. It just… came as a surprise."

What an understatement. It's not like I've been alive for thirteen years before finding out that I have a dad. And now that I've lost my mom, I have to go live with him.

Patton appraised me as my mind did flips. "You seem to be taking all this very well, Tory." He waved his arms to emphasize the magnitude of what he meant. Not that he needed to. I already understood how big a deal this was. "But I've got to ask you. How are you feeling? Really?" he asked, sounding honestly curious.

The question caught me off guard. It took me a minute to gather my thoughts. "Honestly? I don't know what to feel. I guess I should be mad at everything. Like at Turnbauer for crashing into my mom's car. Or at my mom for not telling me that I have a dad. Or even at the owner of that stupid grill for selling alcohol. But if I had to choose a person to be _really_ mad at, I think it'd be me. I can't even remember the last thing I said to my mom before her… accident. And now that she's gone, I'll probably never find out."

Patton nodded sympathetically. "I'm not going to pretend to understand what you're feeling. Because, trust me, I don't. But I'll tell you this. I see strength in you. I don't think you realize it, but you have a very admirable trait. You'll get passed this." He flashed me a small grin.

"He's right," Kaiser said, smiling at me. Maybe it was my eyes playing tricks on me, but Kaiser looked on the verge of tears. "In all my years, I've never seen anyone show as much strength as you." She pointed a finger at me. "It'll take time, but I know you can make it through this. You have it in you."

I forced a smile. "Thanks. That means a lot."

Checking his watch, Patton said, "No problem. Now, we really need to get going soon. You're going to need to prepare some bags for your flight. It leaves in a few hours."

"My… what?" I asked, hoping I heard wrong.

Patton's face fell. "I did it again, didn't I?" Next to him, Kaiser nodded vigorously, wearing a look of disapproval.

He sighed. "Well, since you don't have any relatives that live in the area, we decided that the best thing to do was to take you to your dad. Pronto."

No. This couldn't be happening. "You mean I have to leave… now?"

A stiff nod was my only response.

I felt like I was about to burst. Too much was changing too fast. I didn't think I could keep up. But I had to ask, "How's my dad taking all this?"

Kaiser stepped forward. "Actually, I think he'll be receiving a phone call from someone at the station in a few minutes. Before your flight takes off."

My shoulders sagged in defeat. It seemed like I didn't have much of a choice. "I guess I'll just go pack my things then."

I quickly spun around to make a mad dash back to my bedroom, but then an idea made itself known. It couldn't be ignored.

Turning to meet the officers' patient gazes, I said, "Before we head to the airport, I want to see the scene of the accident. Maybe help the police if I can."

Officer Patton was shaking his head before I even finished my demand. "I'm afraid I can't allow that. The police are probably still assessing the damage down there. They don't need a teenage girl to help them. And plus, you don't want to miss your flight to Charleston."

_I wouldn't be too sure about that._

There had to be a way to get me to the scene of the accident. I wasn't going to let the police just ship me off to another city to live with my long-lost dad. Not until I saw the place where my mom was killed.

I opted for the crying act, which wasn't too hard to pull off since I already felt like bawling my eyes out.

"But, my mom," I cried out, letting a stream of tears fall down my face. I didn't even have to fake my tears. "I just‒I want to see her one more time."

Kaiser looked like her heart had just been ripped out and stomped on. "Of course, Tory! We can work something out with the police." She nudged Patton's shoulder. "We can work something out for her, can't we?"

I turned my teary eyes on Patton, hoping for a similar result. "Please. Just one more time before I have to go."

Patton crossed his arms. He obviously disagreed with my idea. "I don't‒"

"It's settled then!" Kaiser cut in, frantic to stop my sobs. "Now, hurry along Tory! We don't have all day."

I smiled and wiped away the few tears on my face. That worked better than planned. Thank God Kaiser was there. If it had just been Patton, I'd be in trouble. Big time.

"Thank you, officers." I sniffed, clearing the last tear from my cheeks. "I can't thank you enough."

Kaiser waved me off. She had no idea how grateful I was. "You can thank us later. But right now, we've got a stop to make and you've got a flight to catch."

I nodded and headed toward the bedroom I slept in all my life‒for the last time.

* * *

**Hi again, sci-philes! I'm sticking with this nickname for all you amazing people reading my story. Seriously, you guys are the best. I've already received over 50 views, and the only thing up, besides this chapter, is the prologue. That's shocking. ****I got more than triple the number of readers I expected that were willing to give my story a chance. Thank you guys so much for that! This story will be continued!**

**-Sky**


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Are you sure about this, Tory?" Officer Kaiser asked me again, scanning the car wreckage around us.

I nodded. There was no going back. "I want to do this."

Kaiser smiled at me. "You're so brave." Then in a gentler tone, she said, "You're mother would be proud of you for being so strong in front of everyone."

She motioned with a hand to the small group of police officers and detectives quietly chatting among themselves less than ten feet away. "But sometimes," she added softly. "It's okay to feel weak."

I glanced away. "I don't like feeling weak."

"No one does," Kaiser countered. "But that doesn't mean you need to pretend to be fine. I know you aren't, after seeing all this." She tilted her head toward my mom's poor Corolla. Or what was left of it.

Her car was badly dented on the left side from where the other car plowed into it. The _driver's_ side. There was no hope of her survival.

I still couldn't believe it. Even though I was staring right at the spot where Mom died, it was impossible to wrap my mind around the fact that she was gone. Forever.

I've never wanted to cry more than I did in that moment.

I met Kaiser's steady gaze. "You sound like you're speaking from experience."

She sighed and turned her head away. "That's because I am."

After that, she went silent. I wanted to ask her about what happened that convinced her it's all right to feel weak sometimes, but I didn't want to pry if she wasn't willing to talk about it. It wasn't any of my business, anyway.

Standing near the scene of the accident, Officer Patton called my name and beckoned me over. He still didn't want me near the car crash, but he stopped arguing with Kaiser a long time ago when he realized he couldn't win.

The police had told me to wait on the sidelines while they had some heavy objects cleared from the scene. They didn't want me getting hurt while I made my inspection. But they left the cars alone. That I was glad for.

I waved to Officer Kaiser and made my way to where Patton stood. She remained silent as I trudged away.

When I reached Patton's side, he handed me a flashlight and said, "You can go ahead and take a look around. But don't touch anything. We don't want any of your fingerprints getting confused with the ones from the accident."

That got my attention. "You're collecting fingerprints?"

Patton nodded, looking on edge. "This accident seemed a little… suspicious," he said. "The police officers on the scene saw a leak coming from under your mother's car. At first, it didn't seem like a big deal. Cars get leaks all the time. But then one of the officers took a look under the car. Just out of curiosity."

"And what did they find?" I asked.

"Oh, there was a leak all right," Patton recalled, lost in thought. "Not the small, naturally occurring kind of leak though. It was clearly intentional. About the size of a baseball."

"Someone _intentionally_ made a leak in my mom's car?" I exclaimed angrily. Someone was going to pay for that. "Why would someone do that?"

"That's what the police have been trying to figure out," Patton said. "They called some people to come down and check for fingerprints about an hour ago. They should be here any minute." He glanced down at his watch. "You'd better get started soon."

I nodded and went to work.

First, I walked with my flashlight to Mom's Corolla and inspected the interior. Mom's body had been removed from the car when the paramedics gave her a medical examination earlier. I got to see her before she was taken away. It was quickly determined that she wasn't breathing.

But Turnbauer got to walk away from the accident just fine. Only had minor injuries. And a prison sentence. But still. It wasn't fair.

Pushing those thoughts aside, I peered through the shattered car windows, looking for some kind of clue to explain the purposeful car leak.

I moved my flashlight beam around the car floor. There were fragments of broken glass littering the bottom. Red stains covered the crushed driver's seat. Red with Mom's blood. I quickly looked away and moved on to the car that caused the accident.

It was a bright red BMW. Nothing like how I imagined it earlier. In my mind, I pictured it to be a large and menacing vehicle with deadly explosives and bulletproof glass at the ready. But the car idling in front of me didn't look threatening at all. It looked… ordinary.

But I knew what it was capable of.

I left the BMW's side shortly after checking the inside. There was nothing of interest in there, but I _was_ surprised to see a _Vogue_ magazine lying face up in the backseat. Turnbauer didn't seem like the kind of guy that kept up with the latest _Vogue_ editions.

Maybe Turnbauer had a wife that was interested in _Vogue_ material. I didn't care enough to go into further investigation. And my time was limited.

I strolled around the cars of the accident, observing every detail with my flashlight but not finding anything worth taking note of. Just when I was about to call it a day, I saw the tire marks decorating the road.

They were difficult to see in the dim light of my flashlight, but they were definitely tire marks. I kneeled on the ground to take a better look at them.

There was a unique pattern to the tire marks. On the far right and left, thick jagged lines could be seen on the edge of the tire marks. They moved diagonally from the middle, down. Then in the center, there were similar jagged lines going in the opposite direction. The middle, up. Except the jagged lines were thinner in the middle than in the border.

I thought I recognized the tire marks. But just to be sure, I strode back to where Mom's car sat and stared at the wheels. Match.

Then I sauntered over to the BMW's wheels. No match.

I examined the tire marks on the ground again and noticed the direction they were traveling in. My flashlight beam followed the path of the tire marks until it returned almost right back where it started.

The tire marks formed overlapping circles.

But that made no sense. Mom wouldn't drive in giant circles in the middle of the street, no matter how empty it was. She would've been rushing home with dinner at the time, not wasting fuel by orbiting an invisible sun.

Which reminds me. I haven't had dinner yet.

"Um, Officer Patton!" I yelled, ignoring my starving stomach for the moment. "I think I've found something!"

Footsteps growing louder and louder came up behind me. "What is it, Tory?" Patton asked when he was right beside me.

I pointed my flashlight to the series of tire marks on the pavement. "Do you see those tire marks?"

"Yes. What about them?" he said, confused.

"They were made by my mom's car when the accident occurred. And they're going in circles. Watch." To demonstrate what I meant, I moved my flashlight beam along the trail Mom's car took until it was almost right back where it began. Just like I did earlier.

Patton scratched his head thoughtfully. "That's strange. Why would your mom be driving in circles?"

I shook my head. "I was going to ask you the same question."

We stared at the tire marks for a little longer in silence, puzzling over the possibilities. I suddenly wished I'd brought a camera with me to capture an image of the tire marks. This clue seemed vital, and I didn't want to forget it.

Being the first to break the silence, Patton asked, "Could your mom have been trying to make a u-turn?"

I started shaking my head while he was in the middle of asking his question. "I really doubt it," I said. "My mom's a really careful driver. If she wanted to make a u-turn, she'd get it perfectly on the first try."

Patton accepted my answer after a quick peek at his watch. "If you say so. I'll have to tell the others what you found later. It's getting late, and we're already pushing our luck. If you miss the flight, one of the officers on duty tonight will have to babysit you. And I don't think either of you will enjoy that."

I crossed my arms stubbornly. "I don't need to be babysat."

Chuckling, Patton grabbed my elbow and said, "Then c'mon, Tory. It's back to the police cruiser we go."

As we passed by Kaiser, Patton asked, "Hey partner, are you going to ride with us to the airport?"

Kaiser shook her head, unwilling to meet either of our gazes. "I think I'll just stay here. Maybe check out the car accident myself."

Patton shrugged, still gripping my elbow. "Fine by me. Let's go, Tory."

I sighed. This was it. One of my last moments in Westborough before I'm off to live with good old dad.

"Thanks again for all your help, Officer Kaiser," I said sincerely.

Kaiser didn't respond when I thanked her. Not even to wave goodbye as I left. She just maintained the same distant look in her eyes. The one that made me wonder about what made her convinced it's all right to feel weak every now and then.

After catching her expression, I let myself get dragged by the elbow the rest of the way to the cruiser.

* * *

**Let's see. Next week, I've got an exam for science, math, history, reading... Yet, I've gone ahead and written another chapter when I _should_ be studying for finals. *sigh***

**Anyways, I know that this chapter is shorter than the last one, but I still hope you like it! I've got a quick question to ask all you sci-philes though. In some reviews, you guys told me that you love this "kind of _Virals_ story." Can someone please explain to me what that means? I'm thinking it means the murder mystery idea, but I'm not sure. If you can help me out, that'd be great!**

**Moving on, I'll be updating a lot less starting now until the end of summer because I've got a load of activities planned for summer break. But I'll update when I can!**

**-Sky**


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